


take me home

by jules (LivvyStyles), LivvyStyles



Category: Larry Stylinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Actor Harry Styles, Alternate Universe, Angst, Barista Harry, Based on a Tumblr Post, Bottom Harry, Bottom Louis, Chef Louis, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Im ashamed of myself, Kitchen Sex, LA, Liam Payne - Freeform, Long Distance Relationship, M/M, SO, Shy Louis, Smut, Top Harry, Top Louis, University Student Harry, University Student Louis, Versatile Harry, Waiter Harry, and no smut this time, and they DO take turns ok?, anyway, anyway to the important stuff, but not too shy, for real, he is so good, ill keep tagging some other day, it was too embarrassing to write the other time, larry is real, larry stylinson - Freeform, like harry, ok as usual i did add, really PG-13, restaurant, study abroad, theres this scene on the kitchen table, they fall in love, versatile louis, well maybe a lil but, why do i have such a vivid imagination, yeah i cant decide, yo the smut is strong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2018-12-19 19:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11904843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LivvyStyles/pseuds/jules, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LivvyStyles/pseuds/LivvyStyles
Summary: Harry met Louis on a coffee shop. Louis was a barista there, while he attended the Cordon Bleu school to become a chef.Louis met Harry at the same coffee shop-obviously.  Harry had been staring at one of his pastries, and he had even known its name. That is unusual, most people just pick croissants or chocolate cookies, and have no idea about posh french desserts.Harry is studying at film school, to become a movie star, and Louis fully believes he will do it.But when Harry is called to star in a new series, and the shooting takes place in LA, Louis lets Harry go to follow his dreams. It's not an easy decision, but he knows it's the right one.Maybe it all works out well, maybe it doesn't.----or the one where Harry wants to be perfect for Louis, which maybe is not the best choice.Sorry I can't say more without spoiling. Read to learn more ;)





	1. loved you first

**Author's Note:**

  * For [obermupfel27](https://archiveofourown.org/users/obermupfel27/gifts).



> Hey!  
> So here's a short-ish story based on a tumblr prompt i'll upload when I have finished (I don't want you guys to get spoiled).  
> I'll try to update it as often as possible, once a week for certain.  
> The title of this fic comes from the album we all know, from 2012, take me home. Hey. I still listen to it sometimes. I took the chapter titles from songs from that album, because I like the musical theme, sue me! The chapters have nothing to do with the lyrics of the song tho, just with the title of it.  
> I thought I'd just say that to avoid shocks.  
> That's it. Enjoy darlings!!  
> Also if you leave me kudos or comments, I'll love you forever and always.  
> PS: I have no beta. And English is not my mother tongue, so I apologise in advance for mistakes! Also, obviously, this has not been britpicked, although I tried my best!

Harry meets Louis at a coffee shop.

It is a dull morning, typical January in London. There are still some rests from Christmas holiday around the streets, some confetti and glitter, lights hanging from trees, crowns hanging from doors. The shops have already hung the _DISCOUNT_ signs on their doors and windows, and there are workers in bright yellow coats dismantling the giant Christmas trees in squares and plazas.

Harry is walking down to RADA, where he attends school, when he stops by the café he always has breakfast at.

He lives basically on the other side of the street, so it is pretty convenient. Not that he doesn't like cooking, in fact, he really loves it, but he would never be able to make such great croissants as the ones they sell at _Store Street Espresso_. Much less in the early morning, before he goes to his first class. Today that is Voice and Movement, one of his favourites, so he is quite happy as he crosses the street and pushes the door to get into the shop.

Store Street has these massive windows outlooking the street where he loves sitting and study screenplays, watch movies or revise. Yeah, you guessed it, Harry is studying to become a film actor.

It is his second year at the prestigious Royal Academy or Dramatic Art, and he is incredibly happy with it. He is living with a friend from high school, Liam, who studies Biochemistry at UCL, quite close by, and while they live in a tiny place, they really enjoy their little flat in Bloomsbury, a quiet area in the city centre.

Yeah, you guessed it again: Harry is a very happy person.

Harry joins the queue to get his cup of coffee and starts checking the counter to see if they have any new pastries or cookies. He is a goner for those.

He is thoughtfully looking at the chocolate covered lemon  _madeleine_ , sure he has never seen that in the menu before, when he hears a soft cough.

"Hey, uhm, Mr? What can I get you?"

He looks up, and he encounters a pair of bright blue eyes.

The waiter smiles shyly at him, the blue in his eyes shining brighter for a second.

Harry has to shake his head to regain his focus.

"Uh. Yeah. Sorry, I might have got a little mesmerized by those _Paris-brests_..."

_And by your eyes._

The boy behind the counter smirks, and Harry thinks he has... blushed?

"Most people don't even know what they are... Want one of them?"

"Oh, I'll have to last on what I have now until lunch time, so I think I'll stick to the banana pancakes. They are bigger."

The boy seems disappointed, and Harry, who is that person that can't have anyone sad because of them, stops him before he goes to get his order through to the kitchen.

"But do you think there will be any left for lunch time? I could use one of those as dessert, to last through afternoon classes..."

The other boy smiles widely, and he nods.

"It's very likely, yeah."

Harry smiles and nods too.

"OK, then it will be a latte and a croissant, please."

"Do you want cocoa powder on the latte?"

Harry is surprised. Usually, especially in the mornings, when they're the busiest, people just take his order, they don't make suggestions.

"Uh, would that make it a cappu-latte?"

The boy smiles again. Harry likes his smile. he also hates himself for blurting out that dumb comment.

"That sounds awful. Let's just say it makes a very delicious special latte."

Harry can't but return the smile.

Jesus, he has never smiled for so long at a waiter. His cheeks are starting to hurt.

"Sounds awesome."

The boy scrunches up his nose, happy, and turns back to make his coffee while Harry gets his hand in his backpack to take his wallet out. He does that without looking, because he can't honestly take his eyes off the boy.

He's shorter than him, although almost anybody looks tall next to Harry. He has dark caramel hair, in a slightly messy fringe that makes it look like feathers, and he's also got that bright smile and those beautiful eyes. He's tip-toeing right now, to reach the cocoa powder, that sits on top of the giant coffee machine in the shop.

Harry can't but think he has a great ass.

Then, he can't but facepalm himself mentally.

The boy turns around and sprinkles his coffee, which smells just the right way, with some cocoa powder.

It starts smelling even better, and Harry's stomach rumbles. Going for his morning run before breakfast has that downside.

"There you have. It will be 7.2 pounds."

Harry smiles and hands the boy the money. He wants to slap himself again when he finds himself wondering if the cute new barista will be there when he gets back. because yeah, he usually doesn't go to Store Street on his lunch break, it's not as cheap as getting lunch at one of the school bars. But he promised the cute blue-eyed waiter that he would. So that's settled.

 

...

 

Harry leaves his Improvisation class in a hurry. He wants to catch the blue-eyed boy, and he doesn't think his shift is long enough for him to meet him if he takes much longer.

"Hey Harold, why are you running from me?"

Eliza, a friend from his Business and Production class, runs after him in the corridor.

"Hello Liz! I am actually in a bit of a hurry, but I'll see you in class? It's right after lunch break, yeah?"

Eliza nods, walking next to him toward the building exit. Harry moans in disgust: Business and Production is his least favourite class. He loves speech classes, he loves the Shakespeare and improvisation classes, he loves the screen acting classes and he loves the theoretical classes that have to do with movies he takes at the film society. He hates production classes. They are too focused on profit and money, they are so impersonal and so not-artsy...

Eliza, who is studying to become a movie director in UCLA but has come a year to London, laughs at him. Of course, she likes Business and Production.

She laughs at him.

"Hey, if you didn't walk so fast you might arrive late for Business-isn't that what you want?"

"Well, that's what I'd like, not what I want."

Liz palms his shoulder.

"I'll let you go then. I can't breathe and it seems like you have even more interest in eating fast to arrive to Business on time than I do. I feel betrayed, I was sure I was the one friend that had the most interest in that class."

Harry laughs and stops to hug Liz.

"You are. You still are." he says, with an angelic smile on his lips.

"Oh, God, stop kissing my ass Haz."

He waves at her from the corner of the corridor and keeps up the pace. Store Street is about ten minutes away. It's Monday so he has only one hour long lunch break. But still. He has to hurry. He's going for the boy, not for the food. Well, mostly for the boy, a small part of him still wants the food. That _paris-brest_ looked really amazing, and he is sure he has dreamt about Store Street's vegetarian sandwiches at least once in his life.

Seriously, he loves that damn café.

 

...

 

When Harry gets inside, the warmth of the shop welcomes him in. He undoes his coat and pulls his scarf off, throwing it unceremoniously into his bag.

He looks behind the counter, looking for the cute blue-eyed barista.

Behind the counter there's only a girl, though, staring at her phone screen, bored. There's only another two people in the shop, Harry notices. A blond guy in his thirties, probably owner of a shop nearby, sits next to the window. A brunette is sitting in the high table, typing in her computer, probably a student.

Harry sighs, disappointed, and starts walking toward the counter. A least he will have a really nice lunch. And he will try the _Paris-brest._

Or not, because there's none left.

He's about to give up and go to bed, skipping Business class for the sake of his own sanity (and so his day doesn't get even worse, a pity, it started wonderfully), when a hand touches his shouder softly.

"I saved one for you" says the cute barista, his eyes shy and hopeful, but over everything, kind. Oh, and even prettier than Harry remembered them.

Harry looks at him surprised. He's no longer wearing the grey apron over his oversized burdeaux wool jumper and his dark skinny jeans, and his hair is messier than in the morning, after hours of work and heat and obvious fidgeting with it.

Harry can see now his real height, about 10 centimetres shorter than he is.

He shakes his head again, trying to clear up his thoughts.

"You did what, sorry?"

Mental facepalm. Again.

Cute barista-not-barista-anymore looks down and blushes.

"You said you wanted to try it at lunch and there was only one left so I saved it for you?"

Harry looks at the other boy's hands: he is holding a small plate with the pastry on it. When he looks back up at those stupidly beautiful eyes, they are looking back at him.

"Wow, you are... you are too kind."

Harry has been literally waiting for this all day. And now all he can do is say stupid things. He feels like an idiot, and he really doesn't want the boy to believe he is one.

"No worries" smiles the boy, offering him the plate. Harry smiles at him and takes it, smelling it.

"Mmm smells delicious. Thank you for saving it for me, how much is it?"

The boy smiles and shakes his head.

"It's on the house, don't worry."

"Oh. Oh, OK, thanks a lot then."

Did the cute waiter just invite him? Does that count as flirting? Does he like boys?

Harry's getting ahead of himself.

"Anytime! I'll...get going, see you around!"

Harry grabs the boy's arm before he has even finished turning around, and he coughs when the boy looks at him, curious. Did he just... grab someone he doesn't know at all's arm? Why on earth did he...

"Do you want to...stay and...have uh... lunch with me?"

Harry talks even slower than he usually does. Another mental facepalm for him. He sounded like a fucking robot.

"Uh... I..."

Harry realises he's still holding the boy's arm, and that probably looks creepy, so he lets go.

"I mean, I understand if you don't want to, you have probably been here for hours and want to go somewhere else and uh, like, you probably have something else to do and you don't even know my name so I'd..."

The boy interrupts him and extends his right hand.

"Louis. Louis Tomlinson"

Harry looks at the hand, small and with long slim fingers, shocked.

"Now you shake my hand and tell me your name and then we can eat together" says the boy, Louis, smiling. Harry looks back at him, a wide smile in his lips, and why is he even staring at his lips, and then changes the plate with the _Paris-brest_ to the other hand so he can properly shake Louis'.

"Harry. Harry Styles."

"Nice to meet you Harry. Does that table work for you?"

Harry nods, somehow surprised, and points at the counter for a second.

"I'll go..get some food, want something?"

"No, thanks, I already had food" he says, embarrassed, pointing at a plate with a half-eaten  _focaccia_ and a cup that are on the table he had pointed to, in the smaller room of the shop. Harry chuckles.

"I'll be there in a sec then."

Louis sits down, and takes a sip of his green tea with lemon and cinammon as he waits for Harry to go get his food. The boy comes back with a vegetable  _quiche_ and a glass of orange juice, and sits down on a sofa opposite Louis.

"So, you work here"

And that's another mental facepalm for Harry. Why is he such an idiot.

"Yeah, I just started yesterday."

"Oh. That explains why I had never seen you before, I don't usually come here on Sundays." Mostly because Sundays are his and Liam's "vacation" day: they do nothing. They get up late, cook the best brunch ever, go to the cinema or to a park or to central London to do something fun, or stay home playing videogames or board games, before having homemade pizza and watching netflix.

"Oh. So you are working somewhere close, then?"Louis asks, before using his knife and fork to cut out a perfectly square piece of his _focaccia_ and putting it to his mouth.

"No, I live just across the street, I have a friend who is studying in UCL, and I go to the RADA, so..."

Louis nods. "So you want to be an actor?"

Harry hums, smiling, and bites a big chunk of his _quiche_.

"That's really cool! I bet you are great at it."

Harry furrows his brows, curious.

"Why?"

Louis blushes a litte bit.

"I don't know. You look like you'd be great."

Louis seems very focused on cutting his _focaccia_ suddenly. Harry takes a sip of his juice, flattered and a little shy.

"What about you?" coughs Harry. "Do you do something else, apart from working here?"

Louis looks back up at him, thankful.

"Well, I have just moved here from Doncaster, and I am studying to become a chef."

Harry looks at him, surprised. It's nothing personal, it's just not every day you meet someone whose dream is to become a chef. It's original, and difficult.

"Wow. Where? Does UCL or SOAS have a cooking degree?"

Louis chuckles, and drinks another sip from his drink, slightly shy again.

Then, the mental London map Harry has in his head starts beeping, and he looks at Louis again, his fork lost somewhere between the plate and his mouth.

"You won't be studying in Cordon Bleu, right?"

Louis smiles and nods slowly. Harry's mouth hangs open. Cordon Bleu is the best cooking school in the world. It is THE cooking school itself.

"Wow. That's uh... very impressive! How is it?"

"Well, I have just started around three weeks ago, so I can't exactly give you yet a well-funded opinion. Especially because it was Christmas holiday for most of the time."

Harry laughs.

"Well, that's really amazing!"

"Well, being an actor is also something quite original, if you ask me."

It's Harry's turn to be shy, and he hides behind his juice cup.

"Thanks."

Louis takes the last bite of his _focaccia_ , and uses his fork to wet it in the last remains of olive oil and _parmigiano_.

"Have you always lived in London?"

"What's your favourite food then?"

They speak at the same time, and Louis answers first.

"Oh Harry, you have to understand you can't ask that to someone who loves cooking. Or to anyone, really."

"Why not? Everyone has a favourite food! And I came last year, after I finished my A-levels, I used to live in Holmes Chapel."

"Not everyone. I don't. Whats yours?"

Harry thinks for a second, as he thoughtfully finishes his sandwich.

"You are right. I can't think of a favourite food."

Louis looks proud.

Harry shakes his head "don't be so full of yourself... what is your favourite movie?"

Louis laughs, loudly, and Harry thinks he has never heard such an adorable laughter.

"You are playing dirty, Harold. Which genre?"

"I'm not talking genres, I'm talking any movie of all times. And my name is not Harold."

"Harrison, then? You don't look like a Harrison, though..."

Harry smiles.

"Just Harry."

"Oh. OK. Interesting. I think if I had to choose just one... I think I'd go with _Lèon_. This one with Jean Reno and Natalie Portman, where they kill her family and she goes with him and..."

Harry is somehow surprised. While he can't pinpoint his favourite movie of all time, _Lèon_ is certainly among the top five. Probably among the top three.

"Hey, not many people know that movie."

"It's amazing" Louis states. "And Natalie Portman is like...twelve, and she deserves an oscar for that role. I'm actually pissed they didn't give it to her."

Harry laughs.

"You are absolutely right. They are all amazing."

Louis hums and finishes his tea, looking at Harry start cutting the _Paris-brest_. He takes a piece to his mouth and closes his eyes in delight.

"Mmmmm. Wow. I have to... Oh my God."

Louis laughs, shy.

"I have never tasted one so delicious. Want to try it?"

Louis shakes his head.

"I would't dare to take a small piece of that from you. You seem to be enjoying it too much. Besides, I already know how it tastes."

Harry gets another piece in his mouth, delighted.

"God, I want to marry whoever cooked this."

Harry notices it's maybe too much when he sees Louis face. And his furious blush.

Of course. He has cooked it.

Harry shoots himself in the head mentally. This is way too bad for just another mental facepalm.

"Oh. Wait. Oh. I didn't mean as in...literally, but... Oh. Wow."

Louis is blushing furiously, but his cheeks don't even come close to the colour Harry's are reaching.

"Well, if you keep me entertained while I cook and are always so appreciative of my food, I might not say 'no' straight away."

Harry blushes even more and takes another bite to get some extra time. He cleans his mouth of almond powder and coughs.

"Well, I might need to see some more of your cooking, but..."

Louis laughs and takes a bit of almond praline from the plate, licking it off his finger. Harry can't but stare. He just LICKED his finger.

"Yeah, I reckon you might want to eat somethin other than dessert from time to time. I wouldn't want to ruin your figure" he says, smirking playfully. "What about dinner tomorrow? I have anafternoon shift, so you can pick me up here at six."

Harry spots Louis' blush behind the napkin he's patting to his lips, and the slightly hopeful look in his eyes.

He swallows the last piece of the dessert, which he had forgotten was in his mouth, and nods.

His phone starts vibrating in his pocket that exact moment: it's the alarm that warns him he has ten minutes to get to class, so he gets up fast, knowing he's going to be late, and grabs his scarf from his backpack.

"Uh, I have to go, I'll be late for business class and I'm really bad at it so I really need to go. I uh... see you tomorrow?"

Louis is still sitting on the sofa, the napkin in his hand, looking at him with that pair of crazily blue eyes.

"If you want to, of course."

Harry smiles confidently as he puts his coat on and buttons it up.

"I'll be here at six. Bye!"

And, just like that, he's out of the door and walking down the street.

 

...

 

When he arrives at Business class, it has already started. He scans the room fast, happy when he finds Liz not too far from the door, and slides into an empty seat beside her, trying not to bother anyone. He only gets a couple _shush_ from the front of the class, and the professor doesn't even seem to notice, so he calls it a success.

"Hey, why are you late? I've never, ever seen you arrive to class late."

Harry opens his laptop and checks the time in his phone while the screen goes on.

"I'm not THAT late, it's only five minutes..." He types his password and opens a  oneNote document. "Anything interesting yet?"

"Interesting? I doubt you find anything that guy says interesting, Haz, you hate this subject."

Harry chuckles softly, earning an angry look from the boy in the next row. Liz pulls a face and slides her notebook to Harry.

Harry loves how Liz works, everything the old way. She is a defender of non-CGI movies, celluloid and paper, and compensating the lack of modern materials with a higher effort, which usually ends in a better movie. Harry has seen a couple of her short productions and he can see what she means.

"So, you didn't answer, why are you late?"

Harry smiles and tosses her notebook back.

"Pay attention, we are in class."

Liz frowns and starts elbowing his ribs while she takes notes with her other arm, trying to distract him. He ends up grabbing her elbow and sighing.

"OK. I have a date with this incredibly cute barista."

Liz smiles, mischievously.

"Ohhh... How was it? Did you kiss?"

"I said I HAVE, not I HAD. It's tomorrow night. But he asked me today at lunch."

"So you HAD a date today, at lunch?"

"Uh, no. It's kinda hard to explain, actually. I am not even sure tomorrow night is a date. We met this morning, and..."

Liz keeps giving him her sided smile, and someone kicks the back of Harry's bench, clearly mad at their whispers.

"I'll explain to you later" says Harry, going back to his computer.

"You'll have to. Who knows, I might even make a movie of that...interesting story..."

Harry smiles again and goes back to typing when the chrome icon starts jumping on the left side of his screen. Just to avoid the icon distracting him, he clicks on it, making a mental vow to go back to paying good attention to the class once he checks what's happening.

He has a facebook notification. A friend request. From Louis fucking Tomlinson.

 


	2. little things

Harry calls for Liam as soon as he closes the door at his back, leaving the keys on the auxiliary table under the coat hanger. He shakes his head, shaking the water from his curls, and rubs his hands together. He loves their small flat, he loves London and he loves rain, but he wouldn't complain it there were a little less rain when he has to walk thirty minutes to get to school, or back home.

"Here H! Kitchen!"

Harry gets into their flat, a small bunch of rooms in the fourth floor. Liam is in the kitchen, frying two eggs in the pan. Harry looks at him scandalized.

"No Liam, I told you not to cook dinner tonight!"

Liam looks shocked, and one of the eggs catches fire somehow.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck shit"

Harry pushes Liam away before he manages to pour a glass of water over the fire, which would have only ended in both of them getting burnt by the jumping boiling oil. Instead, he throws the cloth they have next to the sink to dry the plates over the pan, and the fire stops with a sizzling sound.

"Jesus. I really am going to leave all the cooking to you, mate."

Harry looks a little pissed.

"Lu, I told you I had a friend coming over to cook tonight."

Liam's eyes open wide.

"Damn. It was today? Your date?"

"You said it wasn't a date yourself. And that we should meet here because that way you'd be here so I wouldn't be alone at his house because he could be _I don't know, a rapist or a kidnapper_ " Harry adds, mocking Liam, but also a bit hurt. "Which is, by the way, the main reason it's not going to be a date. We are going to have a very significant third wheel. One that acts like a paranoid dad, I have to add."

Liam puts an arm around Harry's shoulder.

"I just worry about you. Anyway, when is the young man coming?"

Harry laughs at Liam's bad interpretation of a dad, and takes the pan with the burnt cloth and the disastrous fried egg attempt under the sink.

"I am picking him up at seven. He offered to come here if I gave him the address when he messaged me, but that way I can warn him you'll be here and if he freaks out it won't be too late for him to flee."

Liam laughs and looks at the pan, now covered in water, but still black and disgusting.

"I think I'll have to buy another pan. Anyway, that's in one hour. If you cook me something, I can disappear into my room and promise not to come out in all night "he blinks at Harry. "But, you know, for safety reasons, we will have to make a code so I can know if he is making you feel uncomfortable. That way I'll get out and start making him even more uncomfortable. What about start talking of...puppies?"

"What about just calling you? So you don't have to stay all night with your ear stuck to the door? That'd be creepy. But it's a deal. Do you want a burger?"

Liam nods and walks to the flat door.

"I'll go get a new pan. You probably don't want your chef boyfriend to come here and see that mess."

"He's not my boyfriend!" screams Harry. he doesn't even know if he likes boys, although he has a feeling he does. But Liam has already closed the door and is whistling out of tune while he walks downstairs.

 

...

 

Harry can't believe the curious and unlikely series of events that lead him to being there, in his favourite lilac soft knitted jumper and grey jeans, waiting for the prettiest boy he's seen-at least in real life-to come out and go to his house, to cook him a probably incredible meal. Including that embarrassing moment he had said he wanted to marry the cook. Yikes.

But hey, it all turned out great. And when the café door opens, a couple minutes after seven, and Louis gets out of the shop, looking around until he sees Harry, who's leaning against the wall fiddling around in twitter, Harry decides it turned out more than great. Louis is wearing a white T-shirt and a denim jacket, and smiles so brightly at Harry he has blinks twice before finding his words. And when he does, "Hi" is all he can say.

"Hi. Have you been waiting long?" Louis asks, putting his hands inside his pockets.

"Couple minutes. Haven't frozen to death yet."

He had just enough time to take a shower between cooking Liam's dinner and making sure he knows all the reasons he is NOT supposed to come out of his room for and going to pick Louis up, so his hair is still a little wet on his neck, making him feel colder.

"Good to hear" Louis says, and stutters for a second before he puts his hand to Harry's face and takes a loose strand of hair off his eyes. "If you have plans to help me with dinner, you are SO going to have to do something with that hair."

Harry laughs, and points the pedestrian crossing with his head.

"Should we go?"

Louis nods.

"I brought some ingredients, if we need something else we can always come down to Tesco over there and get them. Not my favourite place but..."

Harry chuckles.

"You are a snob."

"Oh, c'mon, would you pay tickets to watch _transformers_ seven?"

"Only if I was going with someone really cute."

Louis smiles at him, and Harry realises what he has just said, but it's too late. He blushes. Furiously. He was seriously talking about a hypothetical situation.

"Anyway, what are you going to cook?"

"WE are going to make a surprise."

"How am I going to help you cook MYSELF a surprise?"

"Ah. You are just going to be my scullion. Do you have red wine?" Harry nods, taking the keys out of his back pocket. "Then we are all set, I think."

Harry opens the door and lets Louis get in.

"We don't have a lift, I'm sorry. Fourth floor. It sucks at first, but when you get used to it it's not that bad."

Harry had made sure everything is really clean and tidy while he waited for Liam's burger to unfreeze so he could put it in the pan.

Louis leans against the wall while Harry fights against the lock. They need to oil it.

"Shit."

"Are you sure we are at your house?"

Harry nods, and before he has time to add anything else, Liam opens for them.

Harry kills him with his eyes, before turning around and smiling like an angel to Louis.

"This is my flatmate, Liam. He was in his room, playing video games, because he already had dinner. His classes finished earlier than mine" he explains, putting emphasis in some words more than other, and knowing such a long introduction is not really necessary. Louis only laughs and shakes Liam's hand.

"Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. I heard the door and I know you sometimes have problems opening..."

"Thanks."

Harry makes a sharp head gesture at Liam, pointing at his room, before turning to Louis again.

"I'll hang your coat."

"I'll just leave you to it, I am in the middle of a multiplayer and I'm pretty sure I'm already dead..."Liam says, and sends Harry an apologetic smile. Louis waves at him and points at the kitchen door.

"Is that the kitchen?"

Harry nods, and takes off his coat.

He sees Louis checking him out from head to toes, and smiles to himself. The lilac sweater was a good choice. And mind you, Louis does seem to like boys.

"The wine is in the cupboard next to the fridge."

Louis turns out to be not only a very efficient cook, but also a very careful one. He makes Harry wash his hands twice, and ties his hair up using one of Liam's girlfriend scarves as a bandana. At first Harry thinks he would look like Cinderella, not something very stylish for a date, but Louis rolls back his eyes at his frightened look, rolling the kerchief and tying it behind Harry's neck, before pulling it up, taking off Harry's fringe from his eyes.

Harry thinks Louis' fingers stay a little more than needed behind his neck, while tying the newly-created-bandana. But maybe he is imagining stuff. Like that the bandana looks good on him and he might even consider incorporating it into his closet. It's that or a haircut at this point.

He shakes the thought off and goes back to the cooking.

Louis buries his head in the fridge, and takes out some vegetables. He scrambles around until he finds some potatoes, which he hands him, telling him to peel them and slice them. He has sliced the vegetables real thin in less than two minutes, under Harry's surprised look.

"Harold, you better not be cast to star in a cooking movie" Louis says, looking at Harry fighting against the knife to peel the potato. "Here, look."

Louis approaches Harry's back, and surrounds his body with his arms. Harry stiffens, and he looks at Louis' hands, shocked, as Louis' fingers delicately hold his, grabbing the knife with his right hand and the potato with his left.

"See? You are supposed to peel it the other way. Then it goes off easier and you don't have to pass the knife over the poor potato ten times."

"I wasn't... It was only twice."

Louis smirks at Harry over his shoulder, wrinkling his nose, and lets go of his hands, turning around back to the chicken.

And now Harry is certain that Louis is flirting with him. At least to some extent.

 

...

 

The whole kitchen smells delicious when Louis' phone timer goes off and the boys go back inside, the table already laid in the living room. Harry doesn't hesitate to say it, and Louis smiles as he looks around for a cloth to take the food out of the oven.

"Hey, where can I find a cloth?"

Harry jumps to the small cupboard where they keep napkins, cutlery, aprons etc. He grabs one and throws it to Louis. Of course, he would forget something. Liam had burnt the cloth.

"Thanks"

Louis opens the oven and takes their food out, covering it from Harry's sight, and leaves it on the counter. Harry tries to see what it is, but Louis moves so he can't, and Harry sighs.

"Go pour the wine."

Harry nods.

"Yes sir!"

Louis chuckles as he carves the chicken and starts laying it out on the plates.

When he walks into the living room, Harry is already there, serving them wine. It's not exactly Italian, but Louis guesses it will do. Then, Harry sits down and gifts him with a huge, dimpled smile.

"So. Whats on the menu then?"

Louis smiles as he leaves his plate in front of him.

"Chicken stuffed with _mozzarella_ cheese, wrapped in Parma ham, with a side of homemade mashed potatoes. Which you did. And some vegetables. We have to be healthy and all that."

Harry chuckles and looks at the plate. It looks amazing, and it smells wonderful.

He takes a bite under Louis expectant glare, and he decides that was the best meal he has ever had.

He's even pretty sure a small moan escapes his lips, but dissimulates fast, by humming.

"Holy shit Louis, I definitely want to marry you."

The coking has certainly made them loosen up a bit, and while Harry blushes at his own words (second time he says them!) Louis smiles proudly.

"Hey, I'm starting to spot a pattern here. But don't you think we should get to know each other better first?"

Harry smiles and takes another bite of the chicken.

They talk while they eat and after that, the empty plates standing there on the table, their laughs and comments relaxing the atmosphere even more. Harry learns Louis is three years older than him, 21, and that he has been working since he finished school to be able to pay the fees in Cordon Bleu, because it had always been his dream. Harry tells him about his school and his subjects, and Louis describes him his _boulangerie_  teacher, a crazy French old lady who calls _baguettes_ "her daughters". They talk for two hours, until Louis fails at hiding a yawn and Harry looks at the clock for the first time since Louis arrived.

"It's late, you want to leave? I mean, you have morning shift tomorrow right?"

Harry thinks about whether he should be embarrassed or not for having learnt Louis' work times right on the moment he talked about how he had organised it so he worked in the morning when he had afternoon classes.

"Yeah, I probably should, but... how could I leave you without watching your blissful expression when you try dessert? I'd never miss another marriage proposal."

Harry blushes as Louis gets up, taking his plate, and starts walking toward the kitchen. Harry picks up his plate and the wine bottle, almost empty, and follows him, leaving the plate in the sink and the bottle in the fridge.

Louis takes a tray to the living room, covering its contents with his shoulder again, and Harry follows him excitedly.

"It's not a very complicated dessert, but I hope you like it" says Louis, laying a transparent pot filled with something yellow and white in it. "Let me introduce you to my mango _coulis_ with yoghurt mousse."

"Well, to not be complicated, it doesn't sound simple"

"Ah. Just try it."

"Are you using me as a lab rat?"

"Slightly. I mean, I have tried it myself and I like it, so..."

Harry takes a spoonful of the dessert, making sure it has some of the orange stuff-the mango _coulis_ , he guesses-and takes it to his mouth.

"Jesus. I really don't want to tire you out so early since we just met, but what do I have to do to marry you?"

Louis bursts out laughin, and sinks his own spoon in his cup.

"Yeah, the lemon was a good idea" he mutters, a proud look in his eyes. And Harry just stares at him fondly.

 About half an hour later, Harry, not wanting him to leave but also not wanting to feel guilty fro making Louis stay up until late on a work day, gets up and takes their dessert glasses to the kitchen.

"Lou? I'll clean this and I can give them back to you some other day?" he asks. Louis appears behind him, and gets his hands in the sink too, after having rolled his sleeves up.

"Sure. Hand me that plate."

"No, please, I'll finish."

"Shush. Who cooks, cleans. Rules of the kitchen, sunshine."

Harry is really proud. They are already calling each other pet names and nicknames. Big step.

He then goes to the living room and takes some more stuff from the table, bringing it to the kitchen and helping Louis clean up.

Louis finishes drying the plates and disappears into the bathroom to wash his hands. Harry hurries up, throwing the table cloth into the cupboard without folding it first, and leans against the counter, arms crossed and his heart beating loudly in his chest, waiting for Louis to come out of the bathroom.

"So." Louis says, scratching the back of his neck when he sees him.

"So."

"I should probably leave."

Harry nods, smiling, and leads Louis to the entrance, handing him his jacket.

"It's been great, tonight." he says, making an effort to control his voice, while Louis gets his arms into the sleeves and puts the collar in place, standing in front of Harry.

"You say that for me or for the food?" answers the boy, smirking mischievously. Harry laughs.

"Both, I guess."

"You guess? I thought I had made a better impression than just 'I guess' " says Louis, a sideways smile on his lips.

Then Harry just thinks 'screw manners' and kisses Louis' lips. Yeah, they met literally yesterday. Yeah, he has probably shocked Louis in every way possible and the boy might quit his job and travel back to Doncaster because he has frightened him, but at that moment, he just has to. How can Louis intend him not to kiss him when he has that fucking sided smirk?

Surprisingly, and in just one second after his lips crashed again's Louis', he feels Louis kissing him back. And not in an exactly shy way. His hands are in the back of his neck, tugging at the ends of the bow he made before with the home-made bandana, and at some strands of hair. He grabs Louis from the jacket collar in response, and Louis gets even closer, pushing him against the side of the open door.

"Wow" says Louis when they part, catching his breath. His hands stay behind Harry's neck though, and he caresses it slowly. He cocks his head to one side, looking at Harry's eyes.

"Sorry about that" answers Harry, but he doesn't let go either.

"S'OK petal" answers Louis, tiptoeing so he can leave a soft, sweet kiss on Harry's nose tip. "Was going to do it anyway" he winks, before turning around and opening the door. "I'll see you tomorrow morning!" he says, before closing the door behind him.

Harry stands there, looking at the spot Louis was three seconds ago, flabbergasted. He hears Louis' footsteps going down the stairs, and blinks twice.

Wow.


	3. live while we're young

Harry doesn't sleep much that night. And, for once, it's not because he's nervous for an audition or anything like that. It's because he knows Louis will be working in the morning, when he comes into the café and gets his breakfast, and he has no idea how they will react.

Maybe it's going too fast? They met two, no, three days ago, have gone only on one date. Yeah, it's been a very short time to just jump ahead and kiss a person. Maybe it was just the spur of the moment, and Louis will back up. Or he himself backs up when the adrenaline rush fades away.

The thing is it's almost time for his alarm to go off and for him to go for his morning run before breakfast, and either the adrenaline rush is still there, or he actually has actual feelings for Louis and is just nervous for the other boy's long-term reaction.

But hey, Louis said he would have done it anyway.

So Harry sighs, and gets the alarm off half an hour before it even sounds, gets dressed and has a glass of water before plugging in his earphones and leaving the house. That way he will also have some extra time to decide what he's going to wear.

In the end, he decides on a deep red flannel shirt over a grey T-shirt. He doesn't want to look too pampered.

He does, however, grab a grey scarf he's sure hasn't used in years and ties his hair with it. It takes a few shots, but in the end he's managed it to look more or less acceptable for a day out, so he grabs his keys and leaves the house. Liam is probably still snoring, but he doesn't have class until later.

Harry breaths heavily before getting in the shop. He can feel his pulse in his throat, and while he knows he's acting like a school kid in love (or a kindergarten baby in love), he doesn't want to screw anything up.

He walks toward the counter, playing with the hem of his T-shirt nervously, looking around. He doesn't see Louis, so he starts looking at the pastries behind the glass, while he waits for his turn. He guesses maybe it's better if he doesn't see him now, maybe he can message him via Facebook later. Because yeah, he doesn't even have Louis' phone number yet.

He is thinking wether his stomach-temporarily out of service, as it's serving as butterfly natural reserve for a while-will endure better a croissant or one of those deliciously looking _éclairs_ , when he hears a cough. He looks up, to see it's his turn. Oh, and Louis is smirking at him with a cup and a plate in his hands.

"You really need to stop drooling over my cooking."

Harry smiles, a shy smile, as he takes a step forward.

"Well, sorry but I need some more to get used to it."

Louis smiles openly at his cheeky comment.

"Yeah, maybe we need to have lunch a couple times so you can get used to my food's deliciousness."

He hands him the cup, whipped milk covered in cocoa powder and cinnamon, and a plate with one of the _éclairs_.

"I'd say it's on the house, but not exactly. Your number will pay for it."

Harry rolls his eyes, and hands the other barista, a small blonde girl, a five pound bill, handing Louis' his unlocked phone at the same time. The girl in the queue behind him scoffs, clearly annoyed, and the waitress smiles at her apologising, after laughing at his work mate while she hands Harry his receipt.

"Thanks, but I'd feel like I was getting too much for nothing. Also, I trust you on the coffee choice."

"You have my word, you'll like it."

Louis smirks and moves his fingers fast in Harry's phone, before pressing the call button to save his number.

"It's been a pleasure making business with you" he winks, and Harry, flustered, almost trips while heading towards an empty table. He can hear the waitress' laughter when he does so, and he is even more embarrassed.

He has breakfast while re-reads his notes from Voice and Movement class, feeling Louis' eyes on him, and unable to stop himself from looking back and smiling from time to time. He almost gets diabetes from his own sappiness.

 

...

 

Harry manages to wait until he's sitting down next to Nick in his first period to open his contact agenda and look for Louis. The boy has added himself as _Lou, the (hot) guy who cooks_ , which makes Harry giggle. He tries to guess how Louis has saved his number, but can't find any good ideas.

He manages to wait until lunch period to send a text.

_**You:** Excuse me if I misunderstood, but I believe you offered me lunch some day?_

He doesn't receive an answer until he's getting changed for some chroma practises they might use in his team's final project.

 **Lou, the (hot) guy who cooks:** _Did I?_

 **Lou, the (hot) guy who cooks:**   _Shit, I knew you were only in for the food._

 **Lou, the (hot) guy who cooks:** _I should have talked about my own deliciousness instead of my food's one, maybe ;)_

Liz gets in the dressing room after knocking, to see a blushed Harry, and rise one eyebrow.

"I see. You are talking about food. You have two minutes to answer him or leave him in read, and then you get out here and slay a couple CGI dragons.

"Aye, _khaleesi_."

Liz scrunches her nose.

"I don't think you quite understand how _Game of Thrones_ works."

Harry moves his eyes back to his phone screen while Liz leaves, and starts writing. He deletes the sentence and tries rewriting it. He paraphrases again, to delete it all once more. He grunts and taps the keyboard letters again.

 **You:** _Well, I think I need another bite of you to check ;)_

He doesn't even wait half a second to see if Louis has his phone close and answers. He switches it off as soon as he checks the text was successfully sent, buries it in his backpack and checks the zipper of his brown leggings-he's supposed to look like a mediaeval soldier-is done before leaving the changing room.

They text back and forth a couple times more throughout the day. They have classes at different times, Louis only in the afternoon and Harry pretty busy with his filming, which makes it easier for him to think of taking  things slow with the older boy, but when he sends a text saying "I'm exahusted" and Louis answers "I might have made too much food. Want to free yourself of cooking dinner?", he thinks _fuck it_ and heads into the shower, second time that day, to wait for Louis, who is going to pick him up to have dinner at his house.

Liam's not happy about it, but he orders a pizza for himself and makes sure Harry knows all the important emergency numbers.

The bell rings while Harry is still working out wether he should wear a shirt or if that will be too formal. When he hears it, he grabs a fluffy burgundy knit sweater and gets our of his room.

"I'll get it... Oh, hi Lou!"

Seems like Liam has already opened the door. He smiles at them and goes back to the living room, while Harry stares at Louis, taking everything from his hair, wet from the rain outside, to the hem of his grey jeans, stopping for too long at his blue eyes. Oh, yeah, and at his mouth. Awkward.

He's smiling at him shyly, so Harry takes another step and kisses his cheek, backing up fast to check it that's OK. Louis smiles at him and caresses his hand for a second.

"Grab a coat, it's raining and I forgot my umbrella at home."

"Bye Lima! Be back in a couple hours!"

He hears Liam's answer from the sofa, and opens the door to the stairs.

"Off we go?"

"You seem anxious for the food." smirks Louis.

"Not just the food" he smiles. He beams back at him, so Harry pats his own back mentally. Good way of handling the situation, he guesses.

They get into Louis' flat, a small place with the floor still covered in cardboard boxes, the kitchen the only fully set up room from what Harry can see.

"I'm sorry for the mess, I haven't had much time for settling in yet. With work, school and Christmas with the family in between..."

Harry nods and follows Louis to the kitchen, when Louis grabs his shoulders and pushes him carefully to a chair that lies next to a small table, resting against the wall.

"You are not allowed to help me, guest. Sorry, house rules. Go choose a movie for later, my computer's on the living room table-that's your speciality, right?"

Harry does a military salute and does as Louis told him. He feels awkward getting into Louis' computer, so he simply gets into chrome and searches for his favourite movie page. He starts going through the ones he's marked as his favourites, looking for something original and emotional, so he can surprise Louis. He decides on old but gold _cinema paradiso_ , which is european, pretty unknown and makes him cry every single time he's watched it.

They have dinner, a delicious meat lasagna, while chatting and laughing, and when Harry stretches his feet under the table to be more comfortable, finding Louis' by mistake, Louis just smiles and doesn't move. So Harry stays there.

They watch the movie, sitting on the sofa, the computer connected to the TV on the other side of the room, the two boys snuggling close under the blanket they are sharing as time passes. Harry starts crying at the same moment he always does, when there's still like half an hour to go, and Louis hugs him, but Harry is a little proud to see Louis' eyes get glassy at the demolition of the cinema.

They stay in the sofa when the movie ends, all throughout the movie credits and after, when the screen just goes black. Harry is way too comfortable, his head resting on Louis' chest and the boy's hand playing around with his curls. They are no longer awkward, and Harry feels proud of that.

Well, maybe not proud, because he's done nothing, but he's relieved. Especially now, because after all night talking to Louis, he's sure he's in love with him. More than last night, when he had kissed him.

Maybe he could kiss him now? They are not talking, and all he'd have to do is move his head. He's comfortable though, lulled by Louis' soft breathing and his hand in his hair. Yeah, maybe he can wait for some more time for the kiss.

About two minutes later, Louis starts moving, his hand leaves Harry's head, making him moan in complaint. The other boy sits straight and stretches his back, before looking at him.

Ok, he's missed his chance. And he must look like an angry kitten, half sprawled on the sofa but having lost half of his balance, because he was basically leaning on Louis.

He doesn't care he's missed his chance when Louis smiles at him, and then he's even happy about it, because it's Louis the one that moves in and presses his lips to his.

He feels his smile get bigger, and he's kissing him back in a matter of seconds. Harry's smug smile is taken by Louis' lips, and he's suddenly under the other boy's body, who has pushed him to his back carefully, and is laying atop of him, hands tangled in his hair, kissing him furiously.

Tonight's gone well, he thinks, closing his eyes and sinking his hands in Louis' back.

 

...

 

They have different school timetables, they have different musical tastes and Louis says he can't stand Harry's awful knock knock jokes. But he laughs at them anyway, and Harry has showed Louis some of his favourite bands, and Louis has said he doesn't really mind Harry hates olives and he can't put them in salads, or dressings, or anything, really, when he's cooking. But they make it work.

It's not like they make it work, it's more like it was meant to work.

Liam hates them. They are too cheesy for him. Liz hates that Harry can't get his "Louis face" when he's playing someone in love for school. Well, she says she hates it, but she adores them.

So yeah, they are quite happy. Reason number one why Harry decided to stay in London during summer.

Reason number two is he wants to look for a job, and if he went home in Holmes Chapel he wouldn't be able to just go do a casting on short notice, and it would be crazy expensive.

When his phone starts vibrating like crazy on the bedside table, Harry moans and hides his face in the pillows, after checking the time. It's just past eight, and while he usually is up by then, he's on vacation.

Liz doesn't, apparently, as she's bombarding him in texts.

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _Audition_

 **Great Cheif Lizzy** : _Today_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _Someone they had scheduled can't come and they have a space at one_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _It's a great opportunity, I managed to get you in because one of my teachers is doing the casting, but they're only looking for people with more experience_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** _: which means it's one of the main roles_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _Which means good money and fame_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _sent you the part of the screenplay you have to study by e-mail_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _If you don't go I'll kill you slowly and painfully_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _I almost had to bribe my teacher_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** _: Seriously_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _Harry_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _At one_

 **Great Chief Lizzy** : _BE PUNCTUAL_

 

Harry starts getting up with a sigh, but a hand crawls up his knee from under the sheets, all the way to his hips, and puts him back down.

"It's too fucking early."

Harry loves Louis' voice when he has just woken up. It's rougher than usual, and combined with his half-open eyes and the ruffled, messy look of his hair, it's totally adorable. And hot.

So he obeys and moves closer to Louis, passing a leg over his, holding him close. Louis groans in approval and nuzzles his neck.

 

...

 

Harry reads the screenplay teaser, the one he has to audition, in the tube on his way to the office of the producing company.

The plot seems cool, while there isn't much to get that information from. It is a paranormal drama, one of those that get pretty popular these days, for TV, involving time travelling. The character Harry is auditioning for has to be snobbish, but with a big heart underneath, seemingly distant, until he probably falls for the good girl and uncovers his true self. Probably.

But hey, the job is well paid, and it doesn't seem too bad. So he's going to audition for it. Besides, there's barely no chance they'll pick him: it's produced by American TV channel AMC, so there will be thousands of casted people, and he's never done anything apart from the school productions.

But he gets the character, William's serious ironical look in his face and gets int the studio, determined to at least give it a good try.

 

...

 

Louis is fighting for his life in a flour battle in their kitchen when Liam comes in, Harry's phone in his hand, ringing.

"Harry! Jeez lad, pick up, it's a casting agency!"

Louis drops the last handful of flour to the floor, earning a mad look from Liam, and Harry stares at the phone, blankly.

"Harry?"

He's never received a call back from any casting agency. Never.

I mean, he hasn't really gone to too many castings. But still. They have never ever called him for a second camera test or anything.

Louis grabs the phone from Liam's hand, presses the green button and puts the phone to Harry's ear.

"Mr Harry Styles?"says the voice on the other side of the line. Harry nods, then answers a strangled "yes" and grabs the phone from Louis' hand, the boy patting his shoulder encouragingly. Harry says another "yes" while he goes out of the room, probably because their cooking playlist is still on. Louis switches the speaker off, grabs the broom and starts cleaning the flour disaster, thinking which of Harry's many recent auditions is he receiving the call from.

When Harry comes back his eyes are bright in happiness.

"OK, it's just a TV series, but I very likely have the role."

Louis' smiles is bigger than ever-almost-as he jumps into Harry's arms and sinks his face in Harry's neck. Liam approaches them and pats harry's back between Louis' arms.

"That's great love! The one Liz got you into, right? Then you have everything solved Harry!"

Harry laughs, and he knows he's crying a bit. Louis passes his thumb under his eyes cleaning the tears.

"OK, I... I have to get dressed, I need to be back at the studio in one hour for the camera audition and... yeah, I'll be back soon.

Harry runs to his room to get changed and shower. He's still covered in flour, which makes Louis smiles as the boy winks at him under his disastrous, white-powder covered curly mane, longer than ever, half tied under a bandana.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's that! Hope you liked it, and remember to leave kudos and comments to make me the happiest person on earth!  
> Also, I'll try to update as soon as possible, once per week for certain, but I write when I feel inspired to so I can't tell excalty which day it will be ready. Subscribe to the story to stay updated!


	4. last first kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry I've been pretty absent... I just started uni (well, like a month ago), and being in a different country with a different currency, a different time use, a different laguage and a different educative system is pretty stressful. Also, London is huge. UCL is huge. I keep getting lost and wasting time going from one place to another.  
> Anyway, I'm more or less settled down now, so I'll try and post a new chapter every week. Fear not, I won't abandon you!

The contract arrives a couple days later, in a big brown folder.

Louis is the one that opens the door to the mailman and calls Harry to sign the package receipt.

He follows Harry to the kitchen, excited like a little kid on Christmas, even more than Harry, who's so nervous he can only hear the loud thud of his heart in his ears, and is afraid he might fall down any second.

A contract. For a TV series. Produced by TMC. An important TV company. That loads of people watch.

Harry scratches open the folder and takes the big bunch of papers out. First, a letter.

He reads it, astonished.

"Congratulations to Mr Styles, who has...'starts reading Louis over his shoulder. 'Wow Harry Haz Hazza, I'm so so excited and happy for you!!" Louis is smiling so much his cheeks hurt, and he hugs Harry. Harry hugs him back, and slowly, he comes back to reality.

"I still can't believe it!"

Louis laughs and pecks his lips lightly.

"I'm going to cook a great feast for tonight. Invite Liz! Any special requests? You're the honoured man, after all..."

Harry chuckles and grabs Louis' hand before he goes too far, and pulls him in for a last kiss.

"Surprise me."

Louis nods, and leaves Harry.

"But use lots of chocolate!"

"I'll add some olives too!"

Harry shakes his head, amused, and sits more comfortably on the chair, so he can concentrate better on the contents of the folder. His mom is always telling him how important it is to read a contract thoroughly, to be able to discuss the parts you disagree with.

 

...

 

Harry goes to the kitchen a bit later, to find Louis scrolling through twitter in his apron, something smelling delicious inside the oven. He looks up at Harry when he hears him go in, and smiles, proudly.

"Hey, I messaged Liz because I thought you'd forget while reading that huge bunch of papers. Anything interesting?"

Harry smiles, absentmindedly.

"Thanks. For telling Liz, I had forgotten."

Louis jumps off the table where he was sitting, and approaches Harry. He takes a strand of his hair, almost down to his shoulders by now, out of his eyes, and touches his chin lightly, making him look at him in the eye.

"Hey, Mr Triumphant, why are you so serious?"

Harry smiles lightly.

"I'm just shocked, It's a whole lot to take in."

Louis smiles at him adoringly. "It is. It really is."

He leans in to touch Harry's lips; a sweet, long, loving kiss.

 

...

 

"Let's have a toast for Harold, who has managed to get a role in a real project. Which is not easy" says Liz, standing up from the table, after dinner. She winks at Harry, who smiles at her. "Let's have a toast to the next big star, a star that-

"Hey, that's enough!" jumps Harry. Louis looks at him, surprised. Harry didn't sound amused. He laughs, but seems uncomfortable. "Stop flattering me so much!"

They all laugh, but Louis can feel something is off. He just can't pinpoint what it is.

Harry looks at Louis, worried, and regretting what he just did, he shouldn't have jumped that way. Louis raises an eyebrow, and Harry smiles. It doesn't look like Louis bought it.

So when Harry hugs Liam goodbye and closes the door, Louis is waiting by the kitchen door.

"Harry," he says, softly. Just loud enough for Harry to hear him.

"Not now, I'm tired. Let's just clean this up and go to sleep."

But Louis' hand stops him when he's about to get into the kitchen, and Harry sighs, deflating like a broken balloon.

"What's wrong, sunshine? What happened there? Are you worried about something?"

Harry's heart breaks. He just behaved like an idiot, probably is going to behave like one again, and Louis is just as soft and kind and loving as always.

"I'm not going to make that series."

Louis' concerned look disappears. Now he's looking at Harry, clueless.

"But... what?"

"I don't think it's a good role that will open doors." lies Harry-the role is good. It's more than good. William is one of the three main characters of the show, and the show itself looks like something that will be popular. The whole kinda-fantasy-but-in-our-world thing is very trendy these days.

Louis raises an eyebrow.

"...and I'll have to cut my hair."

Louis looks like he's on the verge of laughter.

"I don't want to cut it yet."

At Harry's serious look, Louis can't but start laughing, mouth really open, folding up and almost losing his balance.

Harry stares at him from his height, cursing his idea. Now Louis is certainly not going to buy it.

It takes almost two minutes for Louis to recover. He coughs and pulls his sweater down.

"That's sad. I love your long locks" he says, curling one strand of Harry's soft dark hair around his index and looking at it dreamily. "But it will grow back. You can't not accept the role because of that" he adds, letting the hair go.

"You don't get it", Harry says, so low Louis almost doesn't hear it.

"What? What don't I get?"

Harry sighs again. If he was deflated before, now he's just a small puddle on the floor. And he needs some confidence to tell Louis the truth, so he breathes deeply and speaks.

"The shooting will be in LA. It's an American series, they just wanted a British actor for the accent. And it's a series, so it will take some time."

Harry stares at Louis' eyes. He can see his jaw twitching, and his eyes change for a second, but he doesn't stop smiling. Maybe not from ear to ear now.

"Still. You have to accept it, Harry."

Harry looks at Louis' eyes, shaking his head.

"No. It's too soon to move that far. I have to be closer to my family. My mom and my sister. She's going to get married soon, you know."

"They surely can give you a weekend off for your sister's wedding, Harry", says Louis.

Harry looks down, to his shoulder, where Louis hand still lies, forgotten, since he released his hair. He takes his own hand to it, intertwining their fingers, and looks back up at Louis' deep blue eyes.

"And there's also...you"

Harry sees Louis' heart breaking in his eyes.

That's weird, because he thought he was going to be flattered. Not heartbroken.

But Louis is not smiling anymore, and his eyes are bright, and he lets go of his hand and takes a step back.

Harry looks at the ground, feeling like he's done something wrong.

"I'm just not ready yet" he mutters.

Louis touches his chin, making him look up, and unties the bandana Harry's wearing, letting it fall to the ground.

"Aren't you?" he says. Harry looks up, why was Louis' tone so serious? He almost sounded angry, is he going to get mad at him? That was not in his plans.

Then again, telling him was not in his plans either.

The truth is, he doesn't feel ready to take such a big step alone. It's not that he needs to be close to Louis 24 hours a day (although he kinda does), it's that playing a major part in a major TV producer's series is quite a scary task, especially for someone with little to no experience in out of school productions. He feels like it's too much to do it alone: without his family to go forget about the rest of the world with just two hours away by train, Liz to kick him out of bed just five minutes away, Liam to infuriate him or play video games with in their flat, and Louis to help him and support him and help him and laugh with him... He thinks he can't do it. 

"Maybe you aren't."

Louis' words take Harry back to reality, but he doesn't really have time to think about what Louis just said, because Louis is kissing him, furiously.

Harry moans against Louis' lips. That is certainly a better reaction than he expected.

Louis pushes Harry against the wall, pulling the buttons on his shirt, probably breaking one or two, while he takes off his own T-shirt. Their naked chests brush against each other, as their mouths drink of each other's.

When Harry moans again, gasping for air, Louis falls to his knees, and unclasps Harry's belt, taking him directly into his mouth.

Harry hisses, his back falling against the kitchen's wall.

Louis keeps working his mouth on him, while he takes Harry's pants down completely, taking his shoes off too.

Harry moans loudly, and he pushes Louis away, kneeling next to him to kiss him. They are a knot of limbs on the cold kitchen floor, but they don't really care.

Harry grabs Louis' legs and stands up, leaving Louis sitting down on the kitchen table, grabbing his butt and dragging him closer, rubbing their bodies together.

Louis moans in his shoulder, biting his clavicle so hard it's probably going to leave a mark. But Harry doesn't really care.

He starts caressing Louis' entrance with one finger, and the other boy groans lightly, but he takes his hand away.

"Let me have you tonight, please."

Harry has to admit he is surprised. It's not like they haven't done it before. Louis simply never pushed him away. But he nods, and lets Louis kiss him, his feet crossed behind his back so they stay close.

"Lou..." moans Harry, "come on, I want you..."

Louis chuckles as holds to Harry's shoulders to jump off the table, kissing Harry's neck as he goes around him, his hand in his length, making the boy breath heavily and squirm in his arms.

"Shush, I haven't even started" mutters Louis, letting his free hand trail down Harry's back, raising goosebumps, until it comes to his hole and enters it slowly.

They both sigh at the same time, and Louis starts kissing Harry's neck as he opens him up, biting and licking the younger boy's pale skin, until Harry simply falls on his chest, arms open on the table, and practically begs him.

Louis moans at the sight: Harry sprawled over the dark wooden table, his long hair stuck to his forehead, his pupils dilated, his glance supplicating.

He goes inside him in one swift move. Harry hisses: as much as he has been opening him for some time now, they are not using any sort of lubricant, and that hurts.

But Harry has to admit he likes the feeling: a slight burn as he is completely under Louis' control, the hard wood of the table under his body, Louis' hands on his hips, in charge of every move, stretched out and filled up, moaning in pleasure and his eyes shut.

The table starts banging against the wall. None of them cares.

Louis bites his earlobe, leaning against him.

Harry is so close, he can feel his orgasm build up in his stomach. He moans again, loudly, and Louis bites him again.

Louis is having him violently almost. It's not he's not enjoying it. It's just unusual.

It feels like it's their last night on Earth, like Louis wants to have Harry in a completely different way, like he wants to give him everything and to take everything from him at the same time, like he wants to finish fast and like he wants to stay inside him forever at the same time, like he wants to make love and to fuck him hard at the same time. Like a farewell.

Harry screams in pleasure, his fingers tightening around Louis' so hard it probably hurts. He's pretty sure the kitchen table looks disgusting when he finishes, but he doesn't really stop at the thought, as he hisses at Louis' last few thrusts.

He feels the heat inside him as Louis finishes, screaming his name, hand pulling at his hair; he feels the pain as he rides out his orgasm. But it's OK.

The boys slide from the table, laying down on the kitchen floor.

Harry knows he was thinking something seconds before he came. But he can't really remember what it was. He's too tired.

He cuddles closer to Louis, trying to get away from the cold floor, and leans into Louis' soft kisses, which are being sprinkled all over his face. He rests his head on the boy's chest, seeking his warmth, and closes his eyes.

 

...

 

Harry wakes up to an empty bed. Stretching his arm to touch the crumpled sheets next to him he feels them still warm.

He sighs and lets his body fall on his back, groaning when he notices the pain. Yeah, maybe last night was a bit too violent. He doesn't think he's going to be able to sit down for very long today. And where's Louis anyway? If he were there they could just spend all day in bed, cuddling and watching movies. I the afternoon, he will call the producing company and reject the role, and they will cook a delicious dinner they'll eat before going back to bed. So Harry's back pain won't matter at all. Or the burn still inside him. Actually, even his neck hurts. And his lips.

But he still smiles as he sits up carefully.

"Louis?" he says, his voice raspy from sleep.

He stands up, goes into the bathroom and drinks one full glass of cold water, before splashing some more on his face and looking in the mirror. His lips are swollen, and he has a bruise in his chin. And another one in his neck. Actually, a whole trail of hickeys from his jawline to his shoulder. He smiles lightly.

Still, that's not like Louis.

"Lu?" He calls as he goes out of the bathroom, tying his flannel pyjama pants.

"Kitchen!"

He goes there, to find Louis sitting next to a coffee cup, his fingers tapping the table next to it, nervously. He's already fully dressed, shoelaces tied and everything. Harry looks at the clock on the wall. It's only just ten am, it's not late enough for Louis to be so awake. He shrugs and goes to the coffee machine. He gets one cup ready for himself and sits in front of his boyfriend.

"So? It's Sunday, you don't have class, do you have work?" he asks, curiously. Louis looks up, and shakes his head.

"No, I'm just leaving."

Harry takes a sip of his coffee, just to almost choke on it seconds later.

"Where? I mean, do you have extracurriculars? Practicals?"

Louis sends Harry and apologetic sided smile.

"No. I have just been thinking."

Harry raises an eyebrow.

"About..."

"Us. I don't want to be with you anymore."

Harry's coffee is forgotten in that exact second.

Louis' one too, to be honest. He hasn't had a single sip of it, and it was already cold when Harry got into the kitchen.

"What do you mean."

Harry is sure he's never spoken so fast, not a sentence that didn't come from a screenplay, at least.

Louis' answer takes a couple of seconds.

"Oh Harry, don't be so dumb. I just said it, I don't think we are right for each other." Harry blinks twice, and Louis sighs and keeps talking, staring at his fingertips, playing with the edge of his coffee mug. "I don't want someone who says no to opportunities because he's afraid. I want someone who is brave, who can take anything. I thought acting was your greatest dream. You just said no to it."

Harry is trying to get Louis to look at him in the eye, but he can't. Louis is still lost in his coffee.

"Louis, that you're saying is just bullshit."

"No, it's not. I wanted someone who can... protect me. Call me stupid, because... God, you're so dumb... how could you protect anyone? You can't even protect yourself. How many times are you almost run over by a car during an average week? Five? Six? Ten? I mean, I don't even mean in a physical way, I just mean...someone who really loves me, who would make sacrifices for me."

"Louis. Lou. Look at me in the eye and tell me... Why now?"

Louis sighs and takes a sip from his mug.

"I told you. You were too scared to take the chance of your life. What tells me you're not with me just because you're too afraid of going with someone else?"

Harry can't but think of how he looks, how covered in Louis' marks he is, how can Louis actually think that?

"What tells me you're not going to simply leave me whenever the chance appears, or when things get ugly and you are too afraid to stay with me?"

"Louis, you are being stupid. Please tell me what's in your mind. For real."

"I'm speaking the truth."

"Look me in the eye and repeat it."

Louis sighs, and doesn't look up.

"OK."

He does look up this time, and breaths deeply. "It's the other way around. I do not love you, Harry. I never did. I just thought you were cute, fuckable, if you don't mind. We could have a good time. You also have a flat, a shared flat, but still, sharing a flat is cheaper than having my own place. And this is closer to the tube. And I mean, you're an actor, you are supposed to earn lots of money, right? And have a huge network? And now you're saying no to the job that would take us both to the top, and you say no. And that's too much for me. I did not sign up for this."

Harry blinks a couple more times.

"I'm sorry."

Louis stands up. The coffee mug falls from his hands, but Harry doesn't see this is because of the shaking of his hand, because his eyes are full of tears. When he hears the loud crash and the pieces of porcelain flying everywhere, he's sure that's the sound of his heart being crushed into thousands of little pieces, and the tears start streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry" repeats Louis. He leaves a soft kiss on Harry's cheek, and his lips linger there for a second, tasting the salt of the younger boy's tears. Harry stays still, not moving an inch, as Louis grabs the bag next to his chair, a bag Harry hadn't noticed before, and walks past him towards the main door.

"It was fun while it lasted, though."

And the door closes, taking away Louis' voice, leaving a boy with a crushed soul sitting on a table, surrounded by a poodle of cold coffee and porcelain pieces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Intense chapter!!  
> See you next week ;) with a (probably shorter) continuation of this just where I left of... Have a nice day!


End file.
